Green salad with lemony curd dressing

My mother used to curdle milk for us, using a little lemon juice or vinegar, to achieve the consistency of semi-set yoghurt before you could even buy pots of yoghurt. It makes a beautifully natural and clean-tasting dressing for salad leaves, especially when very lemony, as it is here.

SERVES 4

2 Romaine lettuce hearts, or 400g young and tender frisée leaves, or a mixture

50ml grapeseed oil

24 baby capers, drained and blotted dry

2 lemons

20 tarragon leaves (preferably) or chervil sprigs

For the dressing

200ml curdled milk (see note)

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Pick over the salad leaves, wash in cold water, drain and dry well.

Heat the oil in a small pan to about 160°C, add the capers and fry for 1–2 minutes until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and dry on kitchen paper.

Using a sharp, flexible-bladed knife, cut off the skin, pith and outer membranes from the whole lemons, then release the segments by sliding the blade in between the membranes. Set aside in a bowl.

For the dressing, mix the curdled milk and lemon juice together in a salad bowl and season with some salt and pepper.

Add the salad leaves to the dressing and toss gently, then add the lemon segments and sprinkle with the tarragon or chervil. Serve the fried capers in a separate bowl, for everyone to help themselves.

To curdle milk, gently warm 250ml milk in a small pan over a medium heat until just steaming, then stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice. Take off the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes to allow the curds to form, then drain in a muslin-lined sieve.